The 5 Stages of No Stirrup November, As Told by the Crew of New Girl

November 2, 2018

No Stirrup November… Every year countless equestrians band together to torture themselves improve their equitation by sloughing off their leathers and irons and going stirrupless for the month of November. I remember my first No Stirrup November. I was so young, so naive, so terribly sore. In honor of this momentous month which many equestrians will limp away from as better riders, I gathered up some of my favorite hilarious moments from the show New Girl that perfectly sum up my thoughts throughout the month of November each year…

Gotta Get Pumped

This is you the first day of your NSN activities. You are happy. You are eager. You are ready to crush it. You chuck those stirrups to the way-side without a care because YOU GOT THIS.

The “Realization Phase”

This is the moment when you realize you may have made a horrible mistake. At this point you are usually a good three or four days in, right when the soreness starts to creep in overnight.

“What was I thinking?” you ask yourself as you drag one leg after the other out of bed. The answer? You weren’t. But you are committed now, so you might as well keep trucking.

Everything Hurts and You’re Dying

You can’t remember the last time you got out of a chair without wincing. The thought of picking up your foot to get on the mounting block makes you cringe. And anytime anyone asks you how your lesson went you respond with:

The Rebound

All of a sudden you wake up one day and you don’t hurt anymore. What is this black magic?

November 30th. Every equestrian’s favorite day of the year because DEAR GOD IT IS OVER. Make a mental note that you will never put yourself through this again (even though we all know you will) and throw a little celebration after your final dismount sans-stirrups.